The start of a new year is a great time to kick off a thorough employment-search process.

Regardless of whether or not 2016 was great or not so great on the job front, the new year brings with it endless opportunities if you have the right skills and are willing to hit the pavement. In fact, there are a number of tech and IT jobs that promise to be hot, hot, hot this year.

So read on not only for a rundown on what Randstad says are the hottest tech and IT jobs of 2017, but also for some tips on how to make yourself irresistible to recruiters.

Hottest jobs

If you want to position yourself to take advantage of the hottest tech jobs out there this year, you can’t go wrong with learning coding. Java is the most popular coding language as far as recruiters are concerned, and the likes of SQL, PHP, C#, CSS and HTML are also pretty popular. That isn’t to say that you absolutely must have coding skills to make it in the tech and IT segment this year since there are other positions, such as analyst positions, that don’t require coding skills. So without further adieu, here are the hottest jobs for this year…

According to Randstad, the IT sector in Canada offers a median yearly salary of about $76,000. This total is just south of the $78,870 annual average family income in the country as reported by Statistics Canada in its most recent census.

Job hunt tips

As you might imagine, there will be lots of competition for well-paying jobs, so the better you can differentiate yourself from your competitors, the better your odds of landing the job of your dreams. What follows are some tips that will help you win over hiring managers…

LinkedIn: You likely already have a LinkedIn account, but are you maximizing its potential as a job-search tool? In addition to ensuring that you have a suitable picture of yourself, you need to thoughtfully fill in all the various sections — and use words and terms that recruiters would likely use if searching for potential job candidates. LinkedIn also makes networking fairly easy, so don’t be shy about tapping your network of professionals for potential job leads — and provide the same help in return since networking works best when it’s a two-way street.

Video Resume: If you really want to set yourself apart, why not consider creating a video resume where you can more persuasively sell yourself as an ideal job candidate? Done right, you could leapfrog over the competition. Here are a few recommendations for creating a killer video resume:

Ensure it’s a Fit: If you’re going to do a video resume, make sure that it will fit the job you’re applying for. IT and tech companies are likely to be receptive to video resumes, but don’t do one just because you have the ability to.

Don’t Regurgitate: When it comes to your video resume, make sure that it doesn’t merely repeat everything that’s on your print resume. What, after all, would be the point? Ensure that your video resume goes above and beyond what a traditional resume would do — such as by giving details about projects you’ve done or by giving a glimpse of your personality.

Networking: While social media can definitely help with networking, that doesn’t mean that it’s a substitute for actually going out and meeting people. So make a point of networking not only online, but also offline. In fact, you can use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to set up in-person meetups with other professionals for networking purposes. You never know whom will provide you with your next job lead.

Yes, a new year is a great time to head out to find a new job. So apply for the sorts of jobs that you can see yourself doing well at and enjoying, focus on being a good employee and coworker, and make the most of whatever challenges your new job presents you this year. Good luck!